Dr. James Keeton, the interim vice chancellor for Health Affairs at The University of Mississippi Medical Center, Friday returned to his roots.
And he brought his family with him.
A 1957 graduate of Lee High School, Keeton, who practiced pediatric urology and served as a surgeon prior to his career in administrative medicine at UMC, return to the site of his elementary education — Franklin Medical Sciences and Wellness Magnet School — to speak to students and show his wife, Jona, his daughter, Mechelle, and his granddaughter, Hannah, his former school.
“It”s emotional,” he said of his return. “To think you”d be able to come back from where you started in 1945 and it”s still here and looks good. And for me to be in the health care world and to come back to a wellness magnet school, how special is that?”
After dining in the school cafeteria, Keeton toured the facility with his family and then spoke to Franklin students.
“The focus is encouraging students in a specific place and telling them you can arrive anywhere you want to be,” he said. “The by-product of all this is to encourage all the kids, whatever their endeavor is, they can reach it here in Mississippi.”
Keeton, who lived across from Franklin for six years, recalled walking home, barefoot, for lunch each day.
“They have air conditioning,” he said, when asked what changes he noticed to Franklin. “And better lighting. I remember it being darker.
“Other than that, it hasn”t changed much,” he added. “And I think it”s a tribute the city has maintained this. It”s a gorgeous place.”
His grandfather built the Princess Theater and Keeton”s connection to Columbus runs deep, but Friday marked his first visit to the area in about five years.
“The downtown looks great,” he said. “I”m really excited about how your downtown looks. I think that”s important. We”re trying to (improve the downtown area) in Jackson.”
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